Christmas and Hanukkah and Non-denominational Miracles
Hello everybody! So sorry for not posting for a few days. It has been absolutely wild and the great news is that I have 2 more days of work and then I have 2 full weeks off. I cannot wait! December is always madness; buying presents, giving myself heart palpitations from too much butter, searching for a clean pair of stretchy pants. But this December has been even more crazy! There was the Christmas party at the ambassador's, the sensory friendly movie afternoon at the beginning of December, birthday parties and punsch parties and dinners out, an editorial meeting and so much more. And of course yesterday was the big Santa meet and greet at the Hard Rock Cafe which I will get to in a minute. I'm going to need a lot of downtime this staycation and I look forward to it. Kind of.
So let's get started with last Thursday...We very much love the Kid's kindergarten. We can see it from our kitchen and every morning for the past 2 plus years, the Kid has been ecstatic to attend. They have done a lot with him and we are going to be devastated when he leaves next year. Last year we attended their Christmas party and the Kid was awesome and well behaved. He sat on one of the provider's laps and observed. Well, this year the Kid was given a starring role! He got to light the advent candles and as much as I would like to be a Jewish nervous mommy and frown upon a 5 year old using a lighter, I could not be prouder. He was a STAR! He also walked in a circle and danced along doing his white man at a wedding dance. We stayed for about 45 minutes and I cried with joy. It was a thing to behold, it was... I'm talking about his dancing of course.
I was so incredibly proud of him and it was clear to see how far he has come this past year. It is always hard for us to notice a difference in his development because we see him every day, but I know that the aide that is working at home with him in tandem with our psychologist is doing so much with him and for that, I am so incredibly grateful. After the successful Christmas party, the Kid and I took a long walk around the neighbourhood because I wanted him to pass out at bedtime. I decided that I would watch Scrooged once the Kid was in bed. The Husband had a company Christmas party and I was ready for some jewelry making and Bill Murray. They pair beautifully, apropos. I think I know each line by heart and the scene with the little boy who finally speaks at the end sucker punches me every time. It especially hits close to home since the Kid is non-verbal. Every year, since he lost his words, I ask Santa to give him back his voice. It may never happen but I will never give up the hope that a miracle could occur. So maybe 2017 will be the year that the Kid will speak again. And then we will celebrate more than we already do!
Friday was a crazy crazy day at work. Every year it is the same but for some reason I forget about it. Repressed memory, I assume. A friend wrote me during the day and asked if I had time to come by after work because she had some books from the company she works for to donate. I love her company: Brandstätter Verlag. They make the most incredible and beautiful books and every time I have dropped by, I get passed a glass of bubbly. See?!?! Best.publisher.ever. Brandstätter Verlag has donated incredible books for the fundraiser and I am so so so grateful! They are wrapped beautifully and I want to keep them but I can't... Dammit. My friend and I caught up as she wrapped (I drank and told her stories. I'm a giver.) and then I headed home for dinner and to chill with the Kid and tried not to hyperventilate about the next day: Santa meet up for special needs kids.
As I wrote last week, I am in contact with a lovely woman from Hard Rock Cafe. I ended up asking if her company would be interested in hosting a Santa Claus session for children with special needs; because as my mother always says... it never hurts to ask. Without a pause, she responded with "Yes!" and I could not believe it. Santa was available, I sent some tips to the Hard Rock Cafe for dealing with children with autism and tried to advertise the event as much as possible. I was a nervous wreck. It was a ginormous deal for a company like Hard Rock Cafe to offer this event and I wanted them to have a good turn out. For a huge corporation to offer their time and location for children with special needs is amazing and is a testament to their company culture. Of course, I also had to wear an elf costume because I must have been an asshole in my past life. Saturday morning we woke up early and got the Kid ready. We took the tram to Schwedenplatz (without his stroller because he is amazing!) and I walked into Hard Rock Cafe while the Husband took the Kid for a couple of walks around the block as I got ready. Santa showed up, I put on my ghastly costume (I wasn't alone, there was another elf and he was just an absolutely lovely person), and we headed downstairs to the party area. Hard Rock Cafe had put out coffee, tea, non-alcoholic punsch, juice, cookies and bowls of candy. We also had the whole ground floor to ourselves! Just after 9:30, families started to show up. The Kid was one of the first kids in the restaurant and we had no idea how he would react. I had estimated he would last about 10 minutes in the restaurant, actively ignoring Santa. Well, I have never been more happy to have been wrong. The Kid spied Santa from across the restaurant and after grabbing a cookie (his mother's son), he strolled right up to Santa and crawled into his lap. And this is when I absolutely lost it and took pictures like a stage mom possessed.
You see, this is what these events are all about. It's a chance for us parents to feel like we have some normalcy in our lives. That we don't have to miss out on every single thing because we know our kids won't be able to handle it. This event was incredible, it truly was. All of the children were calm and relaxed. All of the children eventually went up to Santa. All of the children could just be children and you could just see the happiness in the parents' faces. Kids pick up on acceptance. Kids with special needs are no exception to this. I always say that the Kid loves Italians because they don't bat an eye when he runs around. And you could see yesterday that the kids felt like they belonged and that is how they should feel every.single.day. My heart, it swells. Santa was also fantastic. He sat on his chair and waved and talked quietly which was so key for the event. One little girl didn't want to approach Santa at first but with an elf by her side (green felt is not flattering, by the way), she did it. Another young man went up to Santa 3 times to tell him about his problems at school and I teared up. This is what it is all about: give these kids magic... let them be kids. Ugh. I am crying again because I am just so damn happy. The Kid ended up staying for over an hour (amazing) and I talked to some parents. A few people thought I was a full time Hard Rock Cafe elf and I think they were a little surprised when I introduced myself. The one thing I kept hearing during the event was "There's never been anything like this in Vienna. This is fantastic!" and that, my friends, is exactly what this is all about and what the Beacon Beach House is going to be about. Again, all the feels.
At 11 it was time to take off my elf suit and to head home. I decided to pick up some Hard Rock Cafe merchandise because I wanted a momento of the event. One boy who had been at the event saw me and said "Hey! You're the elf!" and I laughed and told him I was taking a little break. And then I headed home. I can't say thank you enough to Hard Rock Cafe Vienna for hosting this event. You guys are amazing and your staff were so kind and incredible and I should learn some new adjectives. I will be visiting Hard Rock Cafe a lot in the future and I hope some of you do too. Companies should always be recognized for charitable work and what they did yesterday goes above and beyond. Man, I am still beaming. Once I got home, I snuggled with the Kid and then headed to a friend's place for some punsch and cookies. It was a lovely couple of hours with some lovely ladies but I soon could feel myself fade and I had to go back home. I made dinner, put on my pyjamas and kept telling the Kid how proud I was of him. What a perfect day! And now I must end this long and epic blog post. There is a lot to still write about but I will save it for another post. I hope you all have a spectacular weekend! Toodles!
So let's get started with last Thursday...We very much love the Kid's kindergarten. We can see it from our kitchen and every morning for the past 2 plus years, the Kid has been ecstatic to attend. They have done a lot with him and we are going to be devastated when he leaves next year. Last year we attended their Christmas party and the Kid was awesome and well behaved. He sat on one of the provider's laps and observed. Well, this year the Kid was given a starring role! He got to light the advent candles and as much as I would like to be a Jewish nervous mommy and frown upon a 5 year old using a lighter, I could not be prouder. He was a STAR! He also walked in a circle and danced along doing his white man at a wedding dance. We stayed for about 45 minutes and I cried with joy. It was a thing to behold, it was... I'm talking about his dancing of course.
I was so incredibly proud of him and it was clear to see how far he has come this past year. It is always hard for us to notice a difference in his development because we see him every day, but I know that the aide that is working at home with him in tandem with our psychologist is doing so much with him and for that, I am so incredibly grateful. After the successful Christmas party, the Kid and I took a long walk around the neighbourhood because I wanted him to pass out at bedtime. I decided that I would watch Scrooged once the Kid was in bed. The Husband had a company Christmas party and I was ready for some jewelry making and Bill Murray. They pair beautifully, apropos. I think I know each line by heart and the scene with the little boy who finally speaks at the end sucker punches me every time. It especially hits close to home since the Kid is non-verbal. Every year, since he lost his words, I ask Santa to give him back his voice. It may never happen but I will never give up the hope that a miracle could occur. So maybe 2017 will be the year that the Kid will speak again. And then we will celebrate more than we already do!
Friday was a crazy crazy day at work. Every year it is the same but for some reason I forget about it. Repressed memory, I assume. A friend wrote me during the day and asked if I had time to come by after work because she had some books from the company she works for to donate. I love her company: Brandstätter Verlag. They make the most incredible and beautiful books and every time I have dropped by, I get passed a glass of bubbly. See?!?! Best.publisher.ever. Brandstätter Verlag has donated incredible books for the fundraiser and I am so so so grateful! They are wrapped beautifully and I want to keep them but I can't... Dammit. My friend and I caught up as she wrapped (I drank and told her stories. I'm a giver.) and then I headed home for dinner and to chill with the Kid and tried not to hyperventilate about the next day: Santa meet up for special needs kids.
As I wrote last week, I am in contact with a lovely woman from Hard Rock Cafe. I ended up asking if her company would be interested in hosting a Santa Claus session for children with special needs; because as my mother always says... it never hurts to ask. Without a pause, she responded with "Yes!" and I could not believe it. Santa was available, I sent some tips to the Hard Rock Cafe for dealing with children with autism and tried to advertise the event as much as possible. I was a nervous wreck. It was a ginormous deal for a company like Hard Rock Cafe to offer this event and I wanted them to have a good turn out. For a huge corporation to offer their time and location for children with special needs is amazing and is a testament to their company culture. Of course, I also had to wear an elf costume because I must have been an asshole in my past life. Saturday morning we woke up early and got the Kid ready. We took the tram to Schwedenplatz (without his stroller because he is amazing!) and I walked into Hard Rock Cafe while the Husband took the Kid for a couple of walks around the block as I got ready. Santa showed up, I put on my ghastly costume (I wasn't alone, there was another elf and he was just an absolutely lovely person), and we headed downstairs to the party area. Hard Rock Cafe had put out coffee, tea, non-alcoholic punsch, juice, cookies and bowls of candy. We also had the whole ground floor to ourselves! Just after 9:30, families started to show up. The Kid was one of the first kids in the restaurant and we had no idea how he would react. I had estimated he would last about 10 minutes in the restaurant, actively ignoring Santa. Well, I have never been more happy to have been wrong. The Kid spied Santa from across the restaurant and after grabbing a cookie (his mother's son), he strolled right up to Santa and crawled into his lap. And this is when I absolutely lost it and took pictures like a stage mom possessed.
You see, this is what these events are all about. It's a chance for us parents to feel like we have some normalcy in our lives. That we don't have to miss out on every single thing because we know our kids won't be able to handle it. This event was incredible, it truly was. All of the children were calm and relaxed. All of the children eventually went up to Santa. All of the children could just be children and you could just see the happiness in the parents' faces. Kids pick up on acceptance. Kids with special needs are no exception to this. I always say that the Kid loves Italians because they don't bat an eye when he runs around. And you could see yesterday that the kids felt like they belonged and that is how they should feel every.single.day. My heart, it swells. Santa was also fantastic. He sat on his chair and waved and talked quietly which was so key for the event. One little girl didn't want to approach Santa at first but with an elf by her side (green felt is not flattering, by the way), she did it. Another young man went up to Santa 3 times to tell him about his problems at school and I teared up. This is what it is all about: give these kids magic... let them be kids. Ugh. I am crying again because I am just so damn happy. The Kid ended up staying for over an hour (amazing) and I talked to some parents. A few people thought I was a full time Hard Rock Cafe elf and I think they were a little surprised when I introduced myself. The one thing I kept hearing during the event was "There's never been anything like this in Vienna. This is fantastic!" and that, my friends, is exactly what this is all about and what the Beacon Beach House is going to be about. Again, all the feels.
At 11 it was time to take off my elf suit and to head home. I decided to pick up some Hard Rock Cafe merchandise because I wanted a momento of the event. One boy who had been at the event saw me and said "Hey! You're the elf!" and I laughed and told him I was taking a little break. And then I headed home. I can't say thank you enough to Hard Rock Cafe Vienna for hosting this event. You guys are amazing and your staff were so kind and incredible and I should learn some new adjectives. I will be visiting Hard Rock Cafe a lot in the future and I hope some of you do too. Companies should always be recognized for charitable work and what they did yesterday goes above and beyond. Man, I am still beaming. Once I got home, I snuggled with the Kid and then headed to a friend's place for some punsch and cookies. It was a lovely couple of hours with some lovely ladies but I soon could feel myself fade and I had to go back home. I made dinner, put on my pyjamas and kept telling the Kid how proud I was of him. What a perfect day! And now I must end this long and epic blog post. There is a lot to still write about but I will save it for another post. I hope you all have a spectacular weekend! Toodles!
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